The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1887-02-12
THE KING or BEASTS.
Its Retirement Before the European In
vasion of Asia and Africa.

vasion OF Asia and Africa.
Considered as direct foe to man, the
lion is not rs formidable as its first
cousin, the tiger. Formidable it certain
ly Is, but 1t is losing power yearly. 1t
Is being "crowded out, and many lands
through which 1t roamed at will can
never again tremble at the thunders Of
its earth-shaking roar. Taking, for ex-
ample, acknowledged history, which is
but grain of sand on the shore of cre-
alton, we find that the lion inhabited
Europe. Supposing that a. general
European war were to break out, neither
OF the combatants would be obliged to
take precautions against the lion as n
hindrance to the transport service. Yet
we find Herodotus, "the Father of His
tory" as he has often been called, to the
utter oblivion of Moses and his unknown
predecessor, the writer of the Book Of
the Wars of jehovah" stating that the
army of Xerxes was attacked by lions
near Thessalonica, (now known MS Sa-
lonica,) and that the lions only attacked
the camels, not meddling with the men,
or even with the horses. The reason is
evident enough. The lions knew by ex-
perience that man possessed bows, ar
rows, spears and nets, and was a mysteri-
GUS animal which could not be attacked
without danger. Horses, too, were
swift of foot, and could not be captured
without more trouble than q lion cares
to take. Moreover, the horse has an
awkward way of lashing out with his
hind hoofs when it can turn upon its
enemy. Whereas, the camel is too
slow of foot to escape by speed, and
has no hoofs of which the lion would
be afraid. That the lion was once
plentiful we find from many passages
|! of the Old Testament, too numerous for
quotation. At the present day the lion
is as extinct in Palestine as it is in Eu.
rope, and the shepherd need no longer
fear it as a devastator of his focks
The lion is "crowded out" obeying the
same law as that which has extirpated
the aborigional Tasmanians, and which
is gradually destroying the Maori O.
New Zealand, the Papuan of Fiji. tht
black man of Australia and the rec
man of Northern America. The,
want too much room. 1t is impossible
for example, for a red man to maintain
his family in comfort on less than
thousand acres of soil, so that when h
comes in contact with races to whom
hundreth part of that land is sufficient
he is obliged to retire before them. S,
it is with the lion. His stronghold i
Africa, though he extends partly int
Asia, where he overlaps. as has beel
well said, the domain of the tiger
But Africa is being invaded on all side
by Europeans, and in consequence tn
lion has to retire before the conquerin
race. The animal is as practically ex
} tinct in Durham, Graham's Town, Cap
Town, or indeed any European settle
ment, as in Greece or Palestine. Still
throughout the greater part of Afric
the lion maintains its sway, though
is never as actively aggressive as tn
tiger. Even when age and infirmit
compel it to become q man eater,
does not desolate whole districts, q
does the tiger, but confines its depred,
tions within comparatively sma
limit Except when an intruder passt
near the spot where it is nurturing il
, young, it will seldom take the initiati,
: and attack man. but will try to sli
: away Quietly.-GOOd Words.